Shawn Levy is no novice when it comes to rumors around his projects. Years on 害羞草研究所淪tranger Things害羞草研究所� taught him how to tune out the noise.

Yet even he害羞草研究所檚 found himself astonished by the sheer volume of speculation around 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he rumors around this movie are overwhelming,害羞草研究所� Levy told The Associated Press earlier this year. 害羞草研究所淏ut so is the anticipation, which is a nice situation.害羞草研究所�

Anticipation might be an understatement for a movie that is poised to be when it opens on Thursday.

The , which aired during the Super Bowl, was viewed a record 365 million times online in its first 24 hours. The second broke another record 害羞草研究所� for the most 害羞草研究所淔-bombs害羞草研究所� in the MCU (six in less than three minutes).

Much of that excitement is because this film marks the first time Ryan Reynolds害羞草研究所� foul-mouthed Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman害羞草研究所檚 Wolverine are being folded into Kevin Feige害羞草研究所檚 Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both properties existed previously under the 21st Century Fox banner.

When Disney acquired the studio害羞草研究所檚 , Wolverine had already died in 害羞草研究所淟ogan,害羞草研究所� a third 害羞草研究所淒eadpool害羞草研究所� was in development and Marvel was still firmly in the PG-13 business, a rating that allows for only one F-bomb.

On a call with investors as the deal was going through, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger was already reassuring people that a Disney Deadpool would remain R-rated. Soon after, Reynolds also posted a photo on social media showing his character with Mickey Mouse ears on a yellow school bus labeled 害羞草研究所淒isney.害羞草研究所� The meta humor, it seemed, was also firmly intact.

But what would the story be? Levy was announced as the film害羞草研究所檚 director in early 2022, coming in as a fan of Reynolds害羞草研究所� snarky tone and fourth wall breaking.

害羞草研究所淭here was no way I was going to reinvent a wheel, a tonal wheel, that works so beautifully,害羞草研究所� Levy said. 害羞草研究所淏oth Disney and Marvel, up and down the food chain, empowered Ryan and I to make this movie exactly as we dreamed.害羞草研究所�

WAIT, HOW IS WOLVERINE HERE?

Things really started to really take shape when Jackman signed on that fall, however. It would mark the first time that the characters would be together in a movie since 2009害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淴-Men Origins: Wolverine.害羞草研究所� In the years since, Reynolds and Jackman have staged a very tongue in cheek, very funny 害羞草研究所渇eud害羞草研究所� with one another on social media, dancing around the idea of sharing the big screen again.

The dream seemed to have died after 害羞草研究所淟ogan害羞草研究所� and Jackman害羞草研究所檚 retirement as Wolverine. But death is never exactly final in the multiverse, and, they promised, this film would not interfere with 害羞草研究所淟ogan.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a really interesting duo,害羞草研究所� Levy said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e built for huge conflict with each other because they害羞草研究所檙e so different individually. But that makes for a very interesting story, because the best two hander stories, whether it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所楳idnight Run害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所�48 Hours害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所楶lanes, Trains and Automobiles,害羞草研究所� yes, it害羞草研究所檚 littered with conflict. But it害羞草研究所檚 ultimately about something more as well and that害羞草研究所檚 what audiences will see.害羞草研究所�

The dynamic was also fueled by the real-life friendship between Levy, Jackman and Reynolds that goes back a decade off screen and includes films like 害羞草研究所淔ree Guy害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淩eal Steel.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he real benefit of being friends off set is that you can try crazy stuff without fear of falling. Because some of it won害羞草研究所檛 work and that will be momentarily embarrassing, but if you害羞草研究所檙e among friends, it害羞草研究所檚 okay to make a fool of yourself in the pursuit of something surprising and something unexpected,害羞草研究所� Levy said. 害羞草研究所淭his movie is filled with moments, both comedic and character based, that we didn害羞草研究所檛 expect and were the result of a freedom that that came from being friends.害羞草研究所�

At the New York premiere Monday, Jackman and Reynolds were definitely in friend mode, praising one another with no snark.

害羞草研究所�(Ryan害羞草研究所檚) exactly as you think,害羞草研究所� Jackman said. 害羞草研究所淎n extraordinary man. Generous, humble brilliant and a great friend.害羞草研究所�

Reynolds added that Jackman was 害羞草研究所渟omeone who operated in a completely different way, did everything through the prism of genuine kindness, diligence, hard work. And that was modeled to me in 2008 when we did our first movie together. And we害羞草研究所檝e been best buddies ever since.害羞草研究所�

IT害羞草研究所橲 SUMMER. NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED.

The Marvel multiverse has gotten a bit overwhelming in recent years for the more casual fans who may have seen most of the films but only dabbled in the Disney+ offerings that regularly introduce new concepts and characters that eventually find their way into the films.

害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine,害羞草研究所� for instance, uses the Time Variance Authority (TVA) 害羞草研究所� a major part of 害羞草研究所淟oki害羞草研究所� but new to the movies 害羞草研究所� to help get Deadpool to the MCU. But Levy promises that enjoyment of 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine害羞草研究所� requires no bingeing or studying beforehand.

害羞草研究所淚 was a good student in school. I害羞草研究所檒l do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies,害羞草研究所� Levy said.

害羞草研究所淚 very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn害羞草研究所檛 want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.害羞草研究所�

OH, RIGHT, THE MOVIE害羞草研究所�

So, what about what害羞草研究所檚 IN the film? Well, that害羞草研究所檚 something that Levy won害羞草研究所檛 really talk about. Until Monday害羞草研究所檚 premiere, reporters were only allowed to see 40 minutes; Soon the floodgates will open and spoilers will take over social media.

But 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine害羞草研究所� hasn害羞草研究所檛 needed to tease out plotlines to stoke enthusiasm. The fans are already there and ready, whether or not Taylor Swift is involved (by all accounts, she害羞草研究所檚 not).

Marvel has had some Phase 5 bumps, with films like 害羞草研究所淭he Marvels害羞草研究所� and others underwhelming critics. And outside of the MCU, the industry is feeling the pains of so-called 害羞草研究所渟uperhero fatigue害羞草研究所� that has sent DC . But 害羞草研究所淒eadpool & Wolverine害羞草研究所� is not to be underestimated.

Critics have been largely positive too. that the film 害羞草研究所渓eans into its genre more than the franchise害羞草研究所檚 first two movies.害羞草研究所� She cautions that the plot starts to feel a little aimless toward the end, but that, 害羞草研究所淭he bloody but comedic final fight scene 害羞草研究所� is enough to perk viewers back up for the last act, solidifying the film害羞草研究所檚 identity as a fun, generally well-made summer movie.害羞草研究所�

And it could be the first MCU movie since 害羞草研究所淪pider-Man: No Way Home害羞草研究所� to crack $1 billion, which would also put it in the running to become the highest grossing R-rated film of all time. That title currently belongs to 害羞草研究所淛oker害羞草研究所� with its $1.08 billion. It害羞草研究所檚 currently tracking to open around $160 million, but some bullish analysts are forecasting as high as $200 million. To beat 害羞草研究所淏arbie害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� opening last year, it has to surpass $162 million.

害羞草研究所淎udiences are hungry for a great time at the movies,害羞草研究所� Levy said. 害羞草研究所淭hey want to be delighted, transported and entertained. And when they are given that, whether it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所楤arbie,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所極ppenheimer害羞草研究所� or any number of other recent movies, they show up.害羞草研究所�

He added: 害羞草研究所淭he movie is built for audience delight. I think that (they害羞草研究所檙e) in for a very fun ride.害羞草研究所�